Merry 2013 Christmas from the Jeubs!

One thing about having 16 children is that you always have an excuse for being delinquent on your Christmas letter. We’ve been busy as ever! But it’s a good busy, full of adventure and love.

If you want the full-blown PDF version, download our Christmas Letter 2013. If you just want the information, read below. We had each of our children write a reflection of their year. Wow, it’s exciting to reflect on the family adventures packed into only one year. No wonder we were late with this letter!

God bless your 2014!

Wendy

I can honestly say that the years roll by faster as I get older. This year has been filled with many activities. I’m teaching 11 of my children in homeschool and partnering with another family as a co-op. I’m so happy to say I graduated our fourth, Lydia, in June. Just 12 to go!

I had a wonderful speaking opportunity with Chris in Philadelphia, speaking for a group about Love in the House. As a family we took a trip to Point Loma, California. Chris and many of the kids were either running or attending Debate Camp while a girlfriend and I ran around to different beaches and sightseeing with our smaller children. After camp, we as a family stayed in San Diego at an absolutely beautiful home with an amazing pool, hot tub and (these friends are the best) a coffee bar!

I enjoyed a refreshing visit with my daughter Alissa. She has lived in Australia for the past five years and was married New Years Day. It was wonderful to see her again in person. She lives a life of adventure! Next time I hope she brings her husband, Asaad.

Chris and I also had a wonderful time in Virginia for a homeschool conference. We met up with the Duggar Family. We stayed up till midnight in Jim Bob and Michelle’s hotel yacking away about family and life. We have so much in common. My verse this year has been Psalm 33.

Chris

I remember starting 2013 with a new office in my basement, determined to set out to accomplish work God has called me to do. I’m proud to say that 2013 has been filled with accomplishment. I have partnered with Andrew Pudewa, contracting his larger outfit to manage my printing and distribution. This has given me more time to focus on developing innovative ministry ideas, like the For Action Conference and publishing the 5th edition to Jeub’s Guide to Speech & Debate.

I also remember starting 2013 determined to put more effort in the teens’ homeschool experience. Together we traveled the country to tournaments: California twice, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and (of course) all the tournaments in Colorado. In the fall I started teaching English at a co-op in Colorado Springs, the first time back to the classroom since the last millennium. It’s awesome to be able to teach my own kids along with a classroom of others.

I set out to make the Training Minds Camp season the best ever. We had camps in California, Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma and Arkansas. I brought the entire family to the one in San Diego where nearly 100 students attended the 5-day camp keynoted by my friend, Michael Hyatt. I gotta say, I love my work, and 2013 was a most excellent venture.

So all in all, my 2013 year was filled with accomplishment and love. Can I ask for much more? For me, time and time again, my walk with Christ has guided me to walk instep with my family and the work I love. I have to pinch myself, honestly, because I believe I’m living a most fulfilled and excellent life. I look forward to 2014 as a year of blessing and cheer, and I hope the same for you.

Cynthia

As I’ve launched my writing career, I’ve learned the key to reaching other people is to be honest and real, so writing for the Christmas letter should be no different. I’m disappointed with 2013 because my personal projects were set aside for academic successes that didn’t matter, but I don’t regret the time spent on spiritual growth. I’m so thankful for the lessons I learned this year, because obedience to God has forced me into a stripping-away process and becoming my authentic self.

The most exciting things I did this year were spontaneous: a road trip to New Mexico, where I got to watch the setup of the biggest fireworks display in the state; meeting the rock bands Madison Rising and Switchfoot; and getting one of my blog posts published on the homepage of the Huffington Post.

No classroom could teach me what I learned from leading my book group, taking the risk to be vulnerable with people and doing my best to heal other people when they were vulnerable with me, and making the hard choices to let go of relationships I desperately wanted to keep. It was difficult to write about the my deepest convictions, discouragements, and struggles, but every risk was rewarded, and I cherish every one of the heartfelt messages I’ve received from readers.

Lydia

This year cannot be described any less than awesomtastic! My adventures of 2013 include sports, weight lifting (70lb bow I had to work up to), as well as traveling to several states for my final year of speech and debate competition. I took seven events to the championship (called a Super Ironman, a most high competitive accomplishment). Micah and I ended up taking 3rd in the nation with our “Princess Bride” duo. A great way to finish high school!

After graduating, Cynthia and I made an effort to move out of our parents’ basement into our own apartment. The kind folks we now live with have been extremely generous. I’m also working full time at the new Bass Pro Shops, as well as being head coach at Monumentum, our speech and debate club.

But putting aside all my achievements; this year has honestly been the most eye opening of my life, thus far. From having new special influences around me to finding the exciting use to my spiritual gift. There’s still so much to see and learn, but the mystery is what makes life so fantastic. Well, that’s my thought of the… Year. I’m out.

Isaiah

This year was a blast beyond compare. One of the reasons for that is I found advanced math and algebra and I love it! My other hobbies this year include Ultimate Frisbee, playing around with LED lights and Learning Pi to ten places.

Micah and I moved converted one of our offices into a bedroom and moved into it together. I also got my drivers license and a job painting houses with a good friend of mine. I am working hard this year to catch up on high school in order to spend 2014 gathering college credits before graduation. All this rolled up and squeezed into one year made for a thrilling ride.

Micah

I started off the 2013 year in speech, practicing a back-tuck flip to do in the duo interp that Lydia and I did. I finally got the backflip down in time for the national tournament, and we took 3rd Place! My best friend Caleb stayed at our house for a month and we attended Desperation, a conference at New Life Church. In July, right after turning 16, we headed to California for a huge speech and debate camp, where I hung out with California friends and tried debate for the first time.

This fall I went bowhunting, and when I got home I invented a yard game I call Arrow Soft. It’s kind of like Airsoft, except with arrows. (Don’t tell mom, it’s probably dangerous.) I added Tae Kwon Do to my school semester and was the only white belt over six feet tall.

Noah

I am the seventh child of the Jeub family. This year I have done a lot of things, Micah and I got our white senior belts in Tae Kwon Do which I enjoyed doing so much. I also learned to do a triple backflip on the trampoline (the scariest flip I have ever accomplished).

This last year was my third year of speech and debate. I did Debate with Tabitha and we got half way to NITOC (the national tournament). But, hey, we had fun and even went 6-0 (six wins, zero losses) at a tournament in New Mexico. So in short I had a great fun-filled year spending time with friends and family.

Tabitha

I am one of the middle children. The year of 2013 has been awesome! I think the highlight of the year was my competition in Speech and Debate. We (my dad and four older siblings) traveled to California (twice), Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas and (of course) Colorado. Wanting to become a professional actress, I took on a roll in the play “The Thorn” which was really fun. I also did a semester of PE+, which I’ve been doing for eight years, doing dodge ball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, you name it.

My sister, Alissa, visited from Australia! Haven’t seen her in two years. It was a sweet reunion. My Grandma also visited, hugs and kisses all ‘round. Started three new bible studies this year, which really helped me grow spiritually. All in all this year has been awesome, my first year being a teenager hasn’t been what all the adults portray it to be. It’s actually a lot of fun. Merry Christmas!

Keilah

I’m 12 going into my first year of speech and debate. I met a lot of people already. I started High Country Homeschool Group. I am the 5th oldest in the house. I love singing and dancing. We got a basketball hoop a new basketball. In PE+ (a sport class) I learned how to play soccer, basketball, dodgeball, foursquare, volleyball, dynamite, monster truck, and so on.

My favorite color is atmosphere purple. I love to play cards and jump on the trampoline. There was a fire across the creek of a barn burning down. I took a writing class and I had the best teacher in the world (my dad!). We have two trampolines and we jump from one to the other.

I love to help around the house and my mom is awesome. Well, she did have only 16 children, 12 in the house now, 4 moved out. We had several kittens this year, many of them born in the summer this year.

Hannah

Hannah has been learning to design cloths, rooms, and other things. She has been going to bible study with her friends. She loves to draw and is planning to be a vlogger on YouTube. she has been growing to be a young lady but still coloring and playing games like a little kid. She likes Justin Bieber and Greyson Chance music and a little of the 80s music.

She loves to live in a house full of kids. She is the sixth oldest in the house now that Cynthia and Lydia moved out. She was in the Junior Tournament and got to finals in impromptu and got second in DI.

Josiah

I’m 9. I got invited to a birthday party. I went skiing at Monarch Ski Mountain. One thing I’ve learned in school is the different atmosphere names: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere. I like math. My brother, Micah, and I competed in a new event called “Sibling Duo” and took first place.

Havilah

I’m 8. I like going to the dollar store. I liked swimming in the Stouts pool because that is where I learned how to swim at 4. When I learned, Micah said I was Superman. Ha ha ha I’m not a man.

I like setting up the Christmas tree and straightening it out, except the angel. I liked swimming in the ocean, playing in the water and the sand. If we get an old cat then we will send away a lot of other cats, I wonder if mom likes that rule.

My friends are Aja, Meredith and my funny funny girl. All my friends are at PE class. What I like about school is reading. I’ve learned that Christmas is the best thing ever.

Daddies do hard work and lots of people like hard work but me I don’t like hard hard work but my daddy does. The End

Joshua

I’m 8. I went to CA and swam in the ocean. I almost died swimming when the waves swept me into a huge hole and I couldn’t touch. Hannah saved me, but then another huge wave went over us. Then I could touch again. That was a lot of fun.

I went to PE+ (phy ed class) many times. At Field Day I kicked balls across the field. In school I was tested in reading and I was suppose to be in 1st or 2nd grade reading, but instead I made it to 6th grade reading level.

I also went to a pumpkin patch and I got to shoot a gourd in a catapult. I climbed the hay bail pyramid. I also got to go to many friends’ houses a lot this year and I had many friends over. And I got 2nd place at the Junior Speech Tournament.

Priscilla

I’m 6. I want to move to the Stout’s house where there is a pool with a waterfall, I used two floats to swim. I really really liked the Stouts I want you to give me away to them to have a better life.

I like our school this year. We do partner school. I learned John 1:1 “In the beginning was there was a Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” I memorized that.

I also learned that dark clouds can make rain.

I saw new barn kittens get born, like 40 of them.

I like to balance, eat popcorn, watch movies, play with Graham’s toys, sing, and wrap presents. I like birthdays, singing, eating candy and putting the ornaments on the Christmas tree.

This is my line: I love my family. Christmas is going to be fun, especially at the Stout’s house. I love the Stout’s house. I really want to swim whenever I want. I want their family to do whatever they want, it would just be a better life. I like to jump on the trampoline (but the Stouts don’t have one, so they’re not perfect).

I like Christmas because it is fun. You get lots and lots and lots of presents. You know how much I love you. I love mommy, daddy, and all my brothers and sisters..

Zechariah

I’m 4. What I like best about school this year is that everybody can do it. I wish our whole family could go to California in a parachute or a balloon. Maybe an airplane!

My favorite movie this year is Super Reader. I like Spider-Man, too. I wish that Santa Claus was real. My speech for the Jr Tournament was The Five Little Bats I memorized it and said my speech.

I was laughing uproariously as I read Priscilla’s words out loud to John. LOVED IT! Loved the whole newsletter. God bless you all.

Colleen

Wow awesome letter again this year, I love reading your letters and really enjoyed seeing the children write their own sections this year.
As I read I heard
everyone say they had a wonderful 2013, and Tabitha how lucky to turn 13 in the year 2013.